Isaiah 5:20 says, 'Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Think about that verse in relation to our current time; a time where deception is running rampant. Today what God has called abnormal is often declared to be normal. This deception is happening in our education system, the entertainment industry and sadly it's also happening in the church.
This deception has a relatively new name and joining Jim to discuss the issue was Pastor David Brown. Pastor Brown is with the First Baptist Church in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. He has a Masters in Theology and PhD in History, specializing in the history of the English Bible. Pastor Brown has recently marked 50 years in ministry with 40 of those at his current church.
Quoting Isaiah 59:14 and Ephesians 4:14, Pastor Brown began by echoing Jim's sentiments that we're living in a time of great deception. He also noted that during the time of Christ, the Pharisees wanted to control the narrative. We see the response of Jesus in John 8:44-45 where he said, 'Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your fathers ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.'
So what's the connection between deception and the term 'gaslighting'? The term has its origin in the 1944 movie 'Gaslight.' It was a psychological thriller adapted from a play written by Patrick Hamilton in 1938. Today it's used to describe abusive behavior by an individual in an attempt to manipulate information so that the victim (who is being deceived) questions his/her sanity. The goal is to intentionally get the victim to doubt their perception of reality and their memories.
Dr. Brown discusses how we're being 'gaslighted' via rhetoric assaulting the nuclear family, the police, border/immigration control, capitalism and much more.
In addition, Crosstalk listeners from across the nation contribute their opinions.
More Information
For a copy of Pastor Brown's gaslighting article, send one dollar to:
David Brown, P.O. Box 173, Oak Creek, WI. 53154.